My Prince and I
by PurpleSkye
Summary: HARUHIxTAMAKIxOCxKYOUYA. It was all just a game to them. Since their parents wanted them to be together, they simply wanted to make them happy. However, what will she do now that she was beginning to like her fairytale? And what if her prince was not?
1. Act 1: The Leading Lady

**A/N:** _You know the drill - **MERRY CHRISTMAS**! Well, time for the third post! I don't think I can finish all 25 today so my "comeback" will be extended till new year! -laughs sheepishly-_ **Sorry!**

**DISCLAIMER: **_Ah, I asked Santa Claus for the Host Club this Christmas but apparently I've been a "naughty girl" -evil laugh- So, I didn't get them. What I got was the OCs and the plot though, which is better than a lump of coal! -cheers-  
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_It was a rare occasion when the Host Club's King would be absent. Most of Ouran's female population were quite disappointed and not to mention depressed without their prince charming. Even the rest of the club did not know why he wasn't present (yes, even Kyouya, who practically knew Tamaki best, was stumped).

"I wonder why Tono_(1)_ didn't show up?" one of the twins questioned, curious and maybe even bored.

"Do you think he's sick, Takashi?" the cute little senior, Hunny, asked his rather tall cousin, who merely shook his head.

"He seemed healthy yesterday." Haruhi stated not in the least bit worried. . . .yet.

"Do you know, Kyouya-senpai?" Kaoru, the younger twin, questioned the be-spectacled sophomore.

He slowly looked up from his laptop, thinking about his response before answering a barely audible, "No."

Just then, amidst the curiosity and anxiety, a girl with long auburn hair dressed in the yellow Ouran uniform came into the Third Music Room. She had light pink eyes which greatly accented her soft ivory skin. She looked like an angel who fell from heaven.

"Is Suou Tamaki-kun here?" she inquired in a gentle voice that matched her face.

"Our apologies, Hanako-hime. Tamaki did not attend school today. . . ." Kyouya had answered in behalf of his awe-struck companions.

"Is that so, Ootori-san? Do you happen to know why?" the girl, referred to as '_Hanako-hime_' replied, walking toward him with angelic grace.

"Unfortunately, I have no idea." he said in response, frowning slightly, disappointed with himself.

She too was apparently dejected at his lack of a better, more informative answer. "Do any of you have any idea why?" she then questioned the others who just shook their heads in unison.

"Ne, Hanako-chan, why are you looking for him?" the ever-adorable Hunny inquired, approaching the slender girl.

A smile graced her lovely features as she bent down to Hunny's height before answering, "It's for me to know and for you to find out." She winked at him, giggling softly at the response she got from the guys. Then, she turned back towards the door.

"Why can't you tell us?" Hikaru questioned, finally regaining his composure enough to be impatient.

She did not stop from crossing the threshold but before closing the door she looked back at them still smiling and said, "You'll know when Tamaki-kun decides to tell you." And then she was gone.

"Who was that?" Haruhi was the first to break the lingering silence.

"Hanako Sakura from Second Year Class B." Kyouya said, his tone matter-of-fact.

"You mean she's the heiress to the Hanako Corporation?" Kaoru queried, uncertain. "That was her?"

"She's very pretty! Right, Takashi?" Hunny stated, the thoughts of the members innocently.

"Ah." Mori agreed, monotonously as always.

"Hanako Corporation?" Haruhi was not so familiar with these sort of stuff.

"That's the biggest Media network in all of Japan." Hikaru informed her.

"She must be really wealthy." Haruhi concluded as if it wasn't already obvious.

The boys ignored her comment and proceeded to their musings.

"I suppose she has something to do with Tamaki's absence." Kyouya stated, earning the surprised looks from the others. So he continued to explain, "She hasn't step foot in the Host Club since the very first activity."

"You think she did something to Tono?" Hikaru began.

"Or did Tono do something to her?" Kaoru added.

"Either way, the chances of that are high."

**-X-**

_Many questions were left unanswered. First of all, why didn't Tamaki come to school? Second, why was Hanako Sakura looking for him? There were no clues or hints that would give any answers away. Their only lead was Kyouya's theory but still that was vague. Uncertainty hung about the members of the Host Club and there was only one way to make everything clear. It was time for the guys to pay Tamaki a visit._

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_(1) - **I'm not sure if it's "TONO" or "DONO", I see both on fanfics I read. If anyone would kindly tell me the correct one, that would be awesome!**_


	2. Act 2: Agreement's Agreement

**A/N: _MERRY CHRISTMAS_**_ to all! This is my fourth (if my calculations are correct) post! I hope you found the first chapter all right. And without further ado (except maybe for the Disclaimer): My Prince & I Act 2: Agreement's Agreement!_

**DISCLAIMER:**_ If I owned Ouran High School Host Club and it's characters, that would be when pigs fly and birds roll around in mud._ _What I do own is, shall I repeat myself, my OCs and the plot._

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"You're. . . . _**engaged**_?!" all of the Host Club members (well, save for Kyouya and Mori) exclaimed in shock.

Suou Tamaki could only nod his head to confirm their statement. As much as he did not favor the idea, he could not lie to his friends; especially not to his "_daughter_". The whole club went out of their way to visit him in his time of need; telling the truth was the least he could do.

"Who's the _lucky_ girl?" Hikaru asked, recovering quickly from the initial shock enough to joke.

"Ha-" he began to answer but an urgent knock from the door had interrupted him.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Tamaki-sama." the young-looking butler had said in an apologetic tone. "But Sakura-sama wishes to speak with you." he then continued when no reply was heard.

"Sakura-chan? Isn't she-" Haruhi started to say but she did not get the chance to finish.

"She's on the phone?" Tamaki asked, a somewhat hopeful look was in his eyes.

"No, Tamaki-sama. She's waiting for you downstairs." the butler informed his master. "Please do hurry, Tamaki-sama. She looks rather impatient."

Frightened, Tamaki shot up out of his crouching position on the floor and hurried for the door.

"Don't you think you should change from your pajamas before going down to meet her?" Kyouya suggested, making Tamaki stop in his tracks and panic as he put on the first pair of pants and shirt he could get his hands on.

Before anyone else could say a word, he was out of the door and down the stairs. They could only sigh at his foolishness.

**-X-**

_(Sakura's POV)_

Since Suou Tamaki was not at school, I opted to meet him in his home. We had an important matter to discuss concerning the agreement our parents had made.

I was not surprised to see the many maids answer the door for me as I was used to the same treatment back at my own home. Even the extravagant size and design of the mansion had not intrigued me. The only thing that interested me was to have a talk with Suou Tamaki.

"Please wait, Sakura-sama, while I'll go to call Tamaki-sama." a butler in his mid-twenties told me politely.

"Yes, thank you. But please tell him to be quick. I don't like to wait." I told him in a tone that was both sugar-coated yet stern that only I could've done.

He merely nodded his head and excused himself from her presence. He left me all alone in the well decorated living room. I sat cross-legged on one of the comfy chairs as I tried to wait patiently.

Within a couple of minutes, the blonde-haired teen came running down the stairs. His face looked. . . ._**afraid**_? And his hair was a total mess. _What a handsome prince_, I thought sarcastically.

"Good afternoon, Sakura-hime! What brings you here?" in just a few milliseconds he was prince charming once again. This was the Tamaki who pleased his fan girls that went to his Host Club.

"Tamaki-kun." I nodded my head to acknowledge his greeting before continuing on to business, "I just. . . ." I stopped and looked questioningly at him.

"Nani? Is there anything wrong?" Tamaki asked; Sakura wasn't an exception to his concern for any damsel in distress.

"Did you purposely wear your shirt. . . .backwards?" I inquired eying his outfit warily.

"Huh?" he was so clueless; it annoyed me.

Unexpectedly though, he took his shirt off. My eyes widened at the sight before me and I did not hesitate to look away. How could he be so. . . ._**confident**_? Oh _right_. He's a host.

"Are you done?" I inquired, a light blush on my impatient facade.

"Ha-hai!" he stuttered. What was he so afraid of?

"I'll cut to the chase, Tamaki-kun." I began, looking at him seriously. "I know spending the rest of your life with me isn't what you've planned-"

"No, it's-" Tamaki tried to interrupt, his instinct to make girls happy being the motive.

"Please don't lie to me." I snapped at him.

"Sakura-hime, you're lovely-" again, he tried to make amends.

"But I'm not the girl you love." I stated as a matter-of-fact.

"I-" he started but I didn't allow him to continue.

"Tamaki-kun, don't fret. I'm honestly not offended. And it's not as if I want to marry you either. I dislike the idea as much as you do!" I told him.

His face held a rather surprised expression as he left his seat and went to sulk in one corner. Depression loomed over him like a dark cloud as he mumbled incoherent words to himself.

"Tamaki-kun? Are you growing mushrooms?" I questioned, bewildered.

"At least, they would love me. . . ." he muttered almost inaudibly.

I sighed. He was so melodramatic. "This is not what I came here for." I then murmured.

"Then what did you want to tell me? Can you cancel our engagement?" Tamaki asked her; he was back to normal. . . .for now.

"Well, I can't do that till I'm eighteen. But I'm here to propose a deal." I answered keeping my composure.

"What is it?" Tamaki asked, curiosity getting over him.

"I want us to pretend that we like each other." I simply stated.

"WHAT?!"

"You heard me. I want us to act like a real couple, at least when our parents are around." I explained, looking straight into his eyes.

"You're not kidding. . . ." he mumbled after a few moments of silence.

"I don't joke." I told him, my voice matching the seriousness in my face. "So what do you say? Do we have an agreement?"

"I-"

"I'm not asking you to quit your Host Club. I don't care how many girls you flirt with, well, not as long as my parents don't see you." I assured him.

"I guess it would be okay. . . ." he finally agreed although the reluctance was obvious.

I smiled, a genuine smile, and ran forward to trap him in a tight embrace; I was very thankful for his cooperation. To my surprise, he returned my show of graciousness with his own bone-crushing grip. And as he did so, he whispered in his most alluring tone, "I'd do anything to make my ladies happy, Sakura-hime. . . ."

**-X-**

_So the act had officially begun. Would their parents buy their performance? Or would they get caught in their lie? In the first place, were Hanako Sakura and Suou Tamaki good actors? The Host Club would discover how versatile their King was to be able to pull this off. . . ._


	3. Act 3: Convincing the Part

**A/N: _MERRY CHRISTMAS_**_ minna-san! This is my fifth update! Hurrah! But unfortunately, you guys will have to wait awhile for the fourth installment of this series. ^^,_

**DISCLAIMER:**_ Only the OCs and the story plot belongs to me. Aside from that, I don't claim ownership for any more._

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_(Sakura's POV)_

"So, I was talking to Momoka-san last night at the Grand Ball and she was telling me how rebellious her daughter has become." I heard my mother saying as I walked into the dining room that morning.

"Rebellious?" my father inquired as I took the vacant seat to his left.

"She wouldn't marry her fiancé that Momoka-san hand-picked herself! It is a shame really. The Ootori family is a very influential one." my mother explained; honestly, she was more like a school-girl than I was.

"Well, it's a good thing our little girl is such an angel, right, Yuri?" father stated whilst giving me a soft pat on the head.

I gave him a small smile. If they only knew. . . .

"We are truly lucky, Hatori." mother agreed, her eyes filled with pride at having me as her _unica ija_.

_At least they were happy_, I told myself repeatedly like some sort of mantra. I couldn't ever bring myself to be mad at them for choosing my future husband. I couldn't even do as Momoka-san's child did and disobey them. I was so _**masochistic**_.

"Sakura-sama." our butler, Jin, called from the dining room's threshold.

I looked up at him in mild surprise. This was not a normal occurrence so my anxiety was justified. He understood my questioning gaze and regarded it as my go signal for him to continue his announcement.

"Suou-sama has come for you, Sakura-sama."

"Oh!" I muttered in shock; this was not what I was expecting. "I'll be right out!" I then rushed out of my seat, all thought of breakfast eradicated.

"That Tamaki boy is such a gentleman ne, Hatori?" mother said as she watched me get up and go.

"Indeed, Yuri. I'm quite impressed."

Once I grabbed my bag from one of the attending maids, I bid my parents farewell.

**-X-**

I took on deep breath before the maids opened the doors for me. This was it. _Three_. . . ._two_. . . ._one_. . . .

**ACTION!**

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Tamaki-kun!" I greeted him enthusiastically.

"Ah, Sakura-hime, ohayo gozaimasu. You look very lovely today, my princess." Tamaki was an expert flirt.

I giggled at his antics, not because of his suave words. I bet he'd greet the other girls who enter his club like this. I haven't been to the Third Music Room since the opening so I could not be so sure of the kind of activities that were executed there. My guesses wouldn't be far off the mark though.

He asked for my hand as he escorted me down the front porch steps. I had to hand it to him, he was a perfect gentleman when he wanted to be. Well, he did come from a very wealthy family so I shouldn't be that surprised but still it was flattering when he opened the door to his limousine for me. Ah, if only there was someone who really did love me doing this, then I would mind so much if it was an arranged marriage.

**-X-**

"Would you like anything? Some fruit? A sandwich? Or a glass of champagne, perhaps?" he offered politely.

"No, thank you." I answered, indifferent.

"What's wrong ne, Sakura-hime?"

He must've thought I had a multiple personality disorder then. But there was a very significant explanation for my actions. I didn't have to act as if I liked him when my parents weren't around. The act was only for the times my parents were present.

"Drop the act, Suou-san. Neither of our parents are around to watch." I explained plainly. I made sure I was seated a fair distance from him inside the lavish limousine.

"Oh."

I presumed he went to sulk in his side of the car but I didn't look to check if my assumptions were correct. In his depression, he was utterly silent for which I was rather thankful for. I was so used to the peace and quiet that I welcomed it with open arms. Besides, it didn't take a long time for us to reach Ouran Private Academy. Soon, we were amidst the yellow and periwinkle myriad of students.

"Shall we, Tamaki-kun?" I asked and the glum that was with him dispersed immediately.

He helped me out of the car and I was mildly surprised that he caught on to the act so quickly. I thought he would be in such a hurry to get away from me and my frequent mood swings.

"Thank you, Tamaki-kun." I mumbled, my good girl facade back in its place. I couldn't risk the act for any of these witnesses.

"Ah, it's not a problem, Sakura-hime." it was obvious that he had yet to get used to my multiple personality (as he would refer to it from now on).

"Well, I'll see you later." I told him in a sweet tone.

He smiled and I returned the gesture. And then, we went our separate ways. We were playing our roles very well. I had to thank him again later for this morning.

**-X-**

"You are so unfair, Sakura-chan!" my closest friend, Hoshino Mikoto, stated exasperated as we walked to our first class - History.

"Nande?" I asked her, totally caught off guard.

"You never told me you started going out with the Suou Tamaki!" Mikoto looked disappointed yet giddy at the same time. It stumped me as to how she pulled that off.

"Oh. Well, I didn't want to get ahead of myself. I wanted to wait till it was official." I explained; a little half-truth wouldn't hurt my friend. It was true that we were technically 'going out' but it wasn't going to be official, not if I could do something about it.

"Official? You mean. . . ?" all disappointment was erased from her face; all that remained was pure and utter excitement.

"Tamaki and I. . . .are engaged!" I stated, trying to match her enthusiasm though deep inside I knew I wanted to puke.

"Oh. My. GOSH! You really do have everything!" Mikoto retorted, obviously green-eyed but still supportive of me.

I laughed. She didn't know what she was saying. _Ah, sweet, innocent Mikoto._

"Wait a minute. I thought you despised the Host Club?" Mikoto exclaimed; apparently, she wasn't as innocent as I thought.

"Nani?" Darn it. She remembered.

"You even said something about their '_king_'. . . .what was it?" Mikoto couldn't be swayed by my false clueless-ness.

"I don't know where you're getting at." I mumbled; I didn't fancy lying to my best friend.

"This is one of your parents' ideas, isn't it?" Mikoto knew me so well.

I thought I was so good at what I do. People were convinced that I was living a perfect life of luxury. I was everyone's angel - easily approachable and friendly. I was the perfect princess. I smiled like nothing's ever wrong; I laugh like I didn't have a care in the world; but deep inside was where I carried the heaviest burden.

It was like an incurable disease. I could never bring myself to disobey my mother and father. No matter how crazy or how unthinkable their wishes were, I'd always comply. I could never say "_no_". Even if it was against my better judgment, I couldn't ever go against them. And Mikoto knew that.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

I nodded. It turned out that I couldn't hide anything from Mikoto. It wouldn't matter so much if one person besides Tamaki and I knew the secret, anyway, right? Because Mikoto would keep her mouth shut.

**-X-**

_Sakura and Tamaki had a lot of things to work out about their act. Tamaki, especially. Sakura failed to convince her best friend; would Tamaki be able to fool the Host Club? How long could their act last?_


	4. Act 4: Compromise

**A/N: **_I surprisingly have nothing to say right now just that I hope everyone likes this new chapter of **"My Prince & I"**. Please Read and review it for me! Please and thank you! :D_

**DISCLAIMER: **_I own Ouran! I don't own the plot nor the OCs! If you believed that - you're stupid! XD_

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**My Prince and I  
**Act 4 – Compromise

"I know it's just in your nature to be obsessively obedient to your parents, Sakura-chan, but don't you think it'll only get more complicated if you waited till you're eighteen?" Mikoto inquired quite logically.

"There's just no use fighting for a love that's not even there. This arrangement will just have to do for the moment." I retorted with a thoughtful look in my eyes.

"You could have at least asked to be engaged to someone more like your ideal man, you know." Mikoto stated; she didn't like it when I was hard on myself, not that she wasn't used to my pessimism.

"I don't think anyone in this whole school fits my criteria, Mikoto-chan." I replied so calmly that Mikoto actually grew suspicious instead of feeling assured.

"That's nonsense! You haven't looked hard enough yet. There are a lot of guys here with black hair and deep dark eyes. . . ." I tuned her out as she began mentioning names and family descriptions of guys she must have _researched_ on. No cute boy had ever escaped Mikoto's background check no matter how top secret their personal information was. She might not look it but she was quite the capable hacker. It sometimes scares me to think she probes my personal files too; we've known each other for too long, she wouldn't need to anyway. . . .I hoped.

I tried to smile back at her as if I was taking in everything she said but my mind was already elsewhere. People waved and greeted me as per usual and I waved back at them with utter friendliness. This was what they would expect of me and I only did my best to satisfy. It was almost natural now to be less sinister than I was as a child. Only Mikoto was introduced to that side of me, however, and I was secretly glad that she had never left my side even after realizing that fact.

"Ootori Kyouya?" I whispered under my breath as I returned his glare with a questioning gaze.

He looked rather upset. . . .with me. _'But why?' _I wondered. I have seldom spoke to him. The last was during my untimely visit to the Host Club but it wasn't exactly a conversation that would make us close friends nor would it give him the right to be mad at me for something I didn't think I'd do. It was odd.

"Oh yeah! He's a keeper! His family is very influential, indeed. And if I remember correctly, your fathers were high school buddies, which is a plus. Why don't you have an engagement with him?" Mikoto blabbered on, but her words fell on deaf ears.

"What is _his_ problem?" I mumbled to myself as I attempted to make sense of his anger toward me.

"Excuse me? What did you say?"

"I – uh – never mind. It's just something trivial." I answered her quickly, shaking the thought of Kyouya from my mind.

"Well, did you even hear what I just said?" Mikoto questioned after discovering that I was paying no heed to her words.

"Ah, I'm very sorry, Mikoto-chan. What was that again?" I retorted with an apologetic edge to my tone.

"We'll talk later, then. You have a committee meeting to go to, right?" Mikoto said in response, dropping the subject at once.

But, I stared back at her with a start.

"You forgot." Mikoto said, suppressing a resigned sigh; she didn't look so surprised though. "Well, little miss perfect as you are, even you can be human sometimes. . . ." she added in a barely audible whisper.

I nodded slowly with an innocent smile plastered on my face. "I'm sorry. I have to go. . . ."

"It's okay, Sakura-chan. I'll see you at lunch?" Mikoto inquired; maybe she thought I'd be with Tamaki during breaks too

"Of course!" I answered. I would only stick around with Tamaki when it was absolutely necessary. Lunch was out of the question. I may be everyone's friend but clinging too close to the Host Club would instantly make me the enemy of all girls; that was for sure.

**-X-**

Silence reigned as I entered the committee meeting room. Most of the class representatives were already there. Now that I think about it, it was pretty obvious what brought all this on – a guy named Suou Tamaki. I figured it wouldn't be long till they started talking, making up rumors and spreading it throughout the school.

"Even if she is Hanako Sakura-hime, Tamaki-sama is still too good for someone like her!" one of the girls said with no apparent concern for the volume of her voice. I pretended to ignore her outburst as I walked by with elegant grace.

"Sakura-hime can't be going out with that douche Suou, can she? She deserves someone better!" I recognized the boy who spoke up as if answering to the girls' implicit challenge; I think he was from my Advanced Math Class. He always crossed my mind as someone _too nice_.

I sighed as I searched for a vacant seat away from the chattering crowd. People were so gallingly predictable. It was no surprise to me now that Kyouya was still glaring at me. I approached him with a sugar-coated smile, seemingly unfazed by his mean look. I took the seat beside him, not meaning to annoy although it appeared that way. I was actually doing him a big favor. I expect that we would have to have a little talk; I was only making it easier for him. Besides, who else but Ootori Kyouya could ruin my plans? Even if he could – I wasn't going to let him. There was a way for both of us to be happy. Compromise did exist, you know.

"Ohayo Gozaimasu, Ootori-kun." I greeted, trying to be friendly. He easily saw through my ostensibly pleasant attitude, however. It was clear to the both of us that this was not normal behavior. He wasn't going to back down on my inferred challenge. I was going to enjoy this confrontation.

"Please call me Kyouya, Sakura-hime." He retorted, smirking back at me.

"Well, Kyouya-kun, it's nice to finally be able to talk to you like this. You're not as creepy as they said you were." I stated rather frankly.

He bit back a cough before saying, "And you're just as honest as they say, Sakura-hime."

"But I do hope you take no offense." I replied with an innocent smile on my face.

"None taken, I assure you." I noticed the impatient edge to his tone; he was getting tired of beating around the bush.

I knew this was annoying him even though he would never openly admit that. At least, he wouldn't in front of all these people. I didn't know how I knew but if it were just the two of us, I wouldn't be able to pull this off effortlessly. I was aware of that much but since that wasn't the case. . . .

"Did you know? Tamaki-kun is my fi-" before I could even finish, a hand covered my mouth to prevent me from saying anything further.

I raised my slender brow questioningly at him. He gave me a look that plainly said, _"We'll talk about this later."_ He withdrew his hand, revealing my smirk. He made to respond but he was interrupted by the arrival of the teacher in-charge.

"Settle down, everyone. This meeting will now begin."

**-X-**

I took my time in packing up my things after the meeting. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Kyouya doing the same thing. I was surprised at how similar we were.

"Is that so, Sakura-hime?"

'_Wait, did I just say that out loud or can he read minds?' _I thought but the former was more realistic. I stared at him, mildly alarmed. Maybe this was what Mikoto meant when she said I was too vocal with my thoughts.

I noticed Kyouya awaiting my response so I quickly complied, "We're both so critical about our facades. We don't drop them so compliantly."

"What do you mean?"

I laughed. He expected me to believe that what I was seeing right now was the _real_ Kyouya? This calm, kind, and polite boy was the third son in the Ootori family? I didn't think so. Perhaps this was a part of him – but there was more to him than he lets on. He might seem to girls as the smart and oh so cool guy, however, while he was truthfully a genius, he had that secret identity only a few knew about. Did he think I was stupid enough not to recognize something I had for myself? He didn't give me enough credit.

"What's so funny?" he asked, his brows furrowed in an attempt to understand the workings of my mind.

"Never mind, Kyouya-kun." I dismissed off-handedly as I turned on my seat to face him. "I believe you want to reprimand me for causing the rumors flying around about Tamaki and I?" I then stated, my tone matter-of-fact.

"You should know how devastated the girls were when they saw Tamaki and you together this morning, then." Kyouya told me as he adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"I figured as much." I answered with an amused smirk on my face. "Why don't you let me handle that? Just tell Tamaki-kun to play along, okay?" I added confidently; I was a pretty good liar and coming up with a cover-up story would be a cinch.

"I don't think so. If Tamaki and you continue this charade, it won't be long till the whole school finds out. Don't wait till you're eighteen – break the engagement _now_." Kyouya demanded sternly.

"You even know about the deadline? I expected no less from you, Kyouya-kun. However, this agreement is much too important for me to just give it up because a very angry Host Club Vice-president orders me to. How about I propose a deal?" It was clear that I was too stubborn to just drop the subject.

He shook his head no but I was not going to take that for an answer. This _had_ to work out.

"I'll keep the engagement till I'm eighteen and not a day later _but _I won't try anything funny at school. If ever someone from Ouran besides the Host Club and my best friend finds out about it, I'll owe you for all the times I've gone on secret dates with Tamaki-kun prior to that instant and I'll consider the engagement annulled. Sounds good?" I stated, all business-like.

Kyouya contemplated it for a moment before responding with a very simple, "Fair enough."

**-X-**

_Sakura was able to hurdle the first dilemma in her temporary engagement with Suou Tamaki – the Shadow King Ootori Kyouya. However, he was just one of the things she had to face. What crackpot story will she tell to explain coming to school with Tamaki? This was the second test of Sakura's versatility as an actress._


	5. Act 5: Hanako versus Ootori

**A/N: **_Hey! Hey! Hey! I'm back! i know I said I would be trying my best to update more frequently but you know laziness always gets in the way and I was debating with myself about which story I should update. Anyways, here's an update. It's rather short and probably boring but the next chapter (which I already began doing since it was supposed to be a part of this chapter till I decided that it had become too long) will be a lot more interesting, I hope. :D_

**DISCLAIMER: **_I know that you know that I know that you know I own nothing from Ouran but my OCs and plot. XD_

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_**My Prince and I  
**Act 5 – Hanako versus Ootori

"Wait." Kyouya exclaimed before I could leave the classroom.

"What is it, Kyouya-kun?" I asked with one of my perfectly arched brows raised in curiosity.

"What's your excuse?" he questioned back at me.

"It was positively dreadful!" I began, looking genuinely aghast. "My car broke down on my way to school this morning but I had a committee meeting to attend to so sending another car from home would have made me late. I was considering just running to school when –" I continued in a quick gush of words, sounding rather fan girl-ish.

Kyouya stared at me in disbelief but he composed himself immediately as I took a dramatic pause.

"Where does Tamaki come in, in all of this?" he inquired. I bet he was thinking, _'How is _this _a believable excuse?'_

"I was getting to that, Kyouya-kun." I answered, giggling at him. I had expected such a response from him; he was actually a very impatient boy, I discovered. I paused for a second again, just to tease him. I decided to go on with it when he sent me his stone glare. "That's when Tamaki-kun came. He offered me a ride to school. He was like a knight in shining armor saving a damsel in distress!"

I would have to admit, the last part was overdoing it. I wasn't really planning on telling the girls that; it was said purely for the benefit of seeing Kyouya's unmasked anger. I knew that mentioning _that_ to the girls would be like signing my own death warrant. I just really enjoyed Kyouya's reactions more than I should.

From the look on his usually composed façade, I could deduce that he was thinking my excuse was a load of baloney. Who would ever believe me? '_More or less everyone_,' I assumed confidently. Besides I was better at debates than any of the females who went to the Host Club (rarely was there a girl in her right mind really participate in such an activity as the Host Club).I would be able to answer and defend myself from their interrogations. Kyouya seemed as if he was thinking along the same lines as I was. I couldn't help but smirk as he refused to admit that I was _good_.

"You'll see, Kyouya-kun." I challenged him immaturely. I really felt like it was my _duty_ to prove the infamous genius Ootori Kyouya wrong.

"Indeed." He replied curtly. I translated that as my cue to leave.

"Oh and before I forget," I began, turning to face him so that now I was walking backwards, "Let Tamaki-kun in on our _little_ _secret_ ne, Kyouya-kun?"

**-X-**

The hallways were pretty much empty at this hour, which wasn't at all surprising (since homeroom had started half an hour ago) but for which I was grateful. I reached into my pocket and retrieved my mobile phone. Without pause I quickly flipped it open and hit the appropriate speed dial button. I patiently waited for the other line to pick up.

"What can I do for you today, Sakura-hime?" a woman answered automatically after the first ring.

"It isn't much but it's really important, Nana-san. Can you do me this favor?" I asked without hesitation, knowing full-well that I wouldn't be declined.

"Ask me anything, Sakura-hime." Nana answered as I had expected.

I smirked. This was going to be _perfect_.

**-X-**

Now that I finished taking care of some important stuff, I could breathe easy. I waltzed towards my class in my graceful step, feeling utterly elated. I was aware that finding enjoyment in Kyouya's torment was albeit bordering on sadistic. He believed he knew everything, which made it easy for me to tease. His bewildered expression was just too adorable.

As per usual, my class was a bustle of excitement when I came in. Our teacher, Hideki Kimura, rarely got up to teach especially if I wasn't around. Homeroom was usually a time for independent study or a time to share juicy stories with friends. The latter was evidently what my classmates preferred. But I simply ignored the unrelenting stares and loud whispers – I was used to it.

'_It won't be long till someone confronts me about _their_ prince. . . .'_ I thought as I took my assigned seat. He wasn't theirs, though. He was _mine_. . . .for now.

My classes progressed uneventfully, however, and the confrontations I anticipated hadn't come as soon as I'd liked. But while nothing exciting happened, I began to ponder that perhaps the girls had accepted their defeat. I made an effort to hide my sudden hysterics as coughs. That was impossible. Maybe they were waiting for Tamaki and I to do _something_ to give further proof of a secret relationship. That was probably it. They were in denial. It would be such a drag to have to explain to every girl the excuse I told Kyouya. That was why I formulated a plan so that I could give out an explanation without having to repeat myself over and over.

A smile graced my face as the lunch bell rang. I followed the crowd out of the room but instead of turning towards the cafeteria, I headed to the Home Economics classroom. It was time to begin the plan I had in mind.

**-X-**

"Where were you at lunch today, Sakura-chan?" Mikoto demanded as she slammed her hand down on my desk. She was furious to say the least.

The class succumbed to silence, their attentions momentarily diverted to Mikoto and I. I let out a laugh as I scratched the back of my head (but taking care not to ruin my hair at the same time). Mikoto's glare intensified. She knew it when I was feigning innocence. However, this was necessary.

"I'm sorry, _Miko-chan_." I pulled her in closer to me to show that it was _supposed to be_ a private conversation and added in a loud whisper, "I skipped lunch to bake a cake."

"Cake? For who?" Mikoto questioned curiously, her voice softer now. People were still listening though they were _trying_ to be subtle about it.

"Well," I began, a small smile gracing my face because I knew things were going as planned. "I wanted to give Suou Tamaki-san something to thank him for saving me this morning."

Mikoto stared at me in bewilderment. I forgot she knew that Tamaki was my _temporary_ fiancé. Her gaze urged me to explain further but that would have to wait till later when we were alone. She waited a few seconds, thinking I would say more. When she figured I wouldn't and when she noticed that there were some girls listening in on us, she finally realized what I wanted to accomplish.

"So you'll be visiting the Host Club after school then?" Mikoto asked for the benefit of the eavesdroppers.

"Yes!" I answered, glad by how quick Mikoto was to assess the situation and catch up to my plan. Of course, there was more she didn't know. She merely had the gist of my intentions but all of that I would be telling her later.

**-X-**

_Sakura let Kyouya witness the excuse she would be giving the girls for the display of closeness she and Tamaki had done and he was having his doubts about letting her handle everything. But Sakura had a plan. What it was and whether she would be able to execute it properly were some of the things to look forward to. Would people believe her or was Kyouya right in distrusting the rather sadistic heir to the Hanako Corporation?_


	6. Act 6: I Told You So

**A/N: **_This chapter will probably be more interesting than the last I posted because this was supposed to be a part of it but I decided it was too long hence this longer half of what was supposed to be ACT 5. Anyway, I dedicate this Kyouya-tormenting chapter to _**mylife'sboat**_ who cheered me on when I was too lazy to type this rather eventful (if I do say so myself) chapter. Enjoy!_

**DISCLAIMER: **_If I did own Ouran my name wouldn't be "PurpleSkye" but Bisco Hatori. XP_

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**My Prince and I  
**Act 6 – I Told You So

**(Narrator's POV)**

"Hanako-san is going to the Host Club?" one girl cried out just a tad bit too loud.

A second girl shushed the noisy brunette while another girl told them the complete story in a hushed whisper.

"The girls from class 2-B said they heard her talking to Hoshino-san about it. She even skipped lunch to bake him a cake!" the third girl explained, unconsciously flipping her short black hair off her shoulders.

"So they really are together?" the first girl asked, hoping that her statement was false.

"Hanako-san never went to the Host Club after the opening day. There's no other explanation!" the second girl with wire-rimmed glasses replied as if confirming her companion's theory by stating a fact.

"Will you please excuse me, ladies?" the three girls almost fainted when they saw the cool type, Ootori Kyouya, standing only a few feet from them.

He simply stared, looking quite bored, as they struggled with coherency. They were obviously star struck. This was one of the problems about being a part of the Host Club. It proved more inconvenient to be the vice-president of said club; he had to deal with _this_ and _a lot more_.

"We're sorry for standing in your way, Kyouya-sama!" the black-haired girl was the first to recover from the initial shock.

At that, the girls steered clear of the doorway. Kyouya always acted very gentlemanly but there was something about him that also made him rather intimidating. The girls simply didn't want to get on the youngest Ootori's bad side.

He watched through his peripheral vision how the girls rushed to their seats. They were all still in a bit of a fluster after their brief encounter with him. Why couldn't Hanako Sakura be like those girls? She didn't blush a thousand different shades of red when they had spoken to each other. It had only been the two of them in that room yet she didn't even show any signs of discomfort. She was perfectly at ease, which made him wonder. What would it take to strip her guarded mask off? She was indeed an intriguing specimen. He just couldn't understand her. That was saying something since he could normally read people exceptionally well. He couldn't predict what she wanted to achieve by saying that she would be at the Host Club after school today. Didn't she know it would only worsen the ill situation further? Or was she asking for trouble? And what ever happened to the crazy story she told him this morning? Sakura was too different from the girls who frequented the Host Club. Figuring her out was undeniably even more difficult than handling the club's finances. Should he just trust Sakura to her word? But that went against his nature of being in control over everything. He didn't like it but it wasn't as if he had another choice. For now, he had to believe in her judgment. She did say she was going to handle the rumors. Perhaps this was a part of her plans. . . .

**-X-**

The dismissal bell rang resolutely around the Ouran High School campus. It meant freedom to some; fun for others; but for a certain Ootori Kyouya, it meant torture. Torture because he would have to be on constant guard in case Sakura would make one wrong move. Trusting her with the future of his high school business was not something he felt like doing. But what other choice did he have? Things might go all wrong if he dared to deal with this issue in his own hands because Sakura wasn't someone willing to be manipulated. Why did she have to be everything he could not manage?

The only thing Kyouya could actually look forward to that afternoon was the absence of the need for costumes for today's club activities. It was a Thursday – a normal club day. But even that piece of information couldn't put him in the least bit of ease. Sakura – for the sake of Kyouya's sanity – had better come through with a brilliant (and believable) excuse.

"Mommy, look!" Tamaki exclaimed as he rather rudely pointed to the large group of girls standing by the doors of the Third Music Room.

Kyouya plastered a pleasant look of surprise on his face as he assessed the number of girls. It was probably more than twice or thrice the number of patrons the Host Club had on a regular day. He was beginning to understand why Sakura had spread the rumors about her _visit_ to the Host Club. She didn't want confirm her relationship with Tamaki; she wanted to gather a large audience for the excuse she was going to give. _Brilliant_, he caught himself thinking but that didn't mean he was going to let his guard down.

At the sight of the two handsome guys, the girls immediately went into a frenzy. All at once, questions were directed at Tamaki about Hanako Sakura and how he was related to her. It was impossible for him to find his voice and speak out as the girls' shrill voices didn't give him the chance. Tamaki glanced at his best friend for help. Without any second thought, Kyouya obliged.

"Ladies, please. Let us settle into more comfortable situations before Tamaki answers all of your inquiries." Kyouya declared, his coolness emanating with every word he said.

It was then that the rest of the Host Club arrived on the scene. They were as surprised as Kyouya made it seem at the crowd of girls on a regular club day. Haruhi appeared dejected, however, since their presence had crushed her hope of ever being able to go home early to study contrary to Hunny and the Twins', who all looked ecstatic by the unusual turn of events. Of course, Mori just went with whatever made his little cousin happy. All of them wondered what the big deal was, in any case.

"Hey, Tono!" Hikaru and Kaoru called in unison.

The blonde prince turned his attention from the girls he was talking to, to the mischievous duo calling out to him. He raised his brows in question and the twins took that as their cue to speak.

"What's going on here?" Hikaru asked, interest lighting his gold eyes.

"Does this have anything to do with the rumors about Hanako Sakura's visit to the Host Club?" Kaoru guessed, his curiosity matching his brother's.

"These heartbroken beauties came here to make sure that their prince still exists. We must all do our best to reassure them!" Tamaki stated, not really answering the questions posed by the Hitachiins.

They should have known better than to ask Tamaki, however. He wouldn't care why the girls were here as long as he was able to make them happy. He was a pure-hearted simpleton. Perhaps Kyouya would be able to satisfy their need for answers. They were about to try but the face their upperclassman was making was just too scary. He looked as if he was about ready to kill. Kaoru wondered why he didn't bother to hide his annoyance. There was obviously something wrong with that guy. '_Maybe something crept up his behind when he wasn't looking',_ Hikaru thought as he stifled a laugh. It earned him a questioning look from his twin and he whispered it in his ear affectionately, making the girls near enough to watch the exchange blush and gush about how they just loved their brotherly love act.

Meanwhile, Kyouya scanned the vicinity in search of a certain brunette. In the sea of girls clad in yellow dresses, unfortunately, not one of them was Hanako Sakura. So he decided right then that if Sakura didn't show up within ten minutes, he would announce the truth about the engagement hence obliging Sakura to cancel in now instead of later. She wouldn't like that, he realized with a small smirk. For some reason he couldn't quite fathom she wanted to pretend the arranged pairing would work out if only till she was eighteen. The difference between then and now eluded him; if she wasn't going to marry him in the first place why would she bother putting up a show for her parents? She was indeed queer. Everything about her raised a question in his calculating mind.

And she had seven minutes to get here.

The girls pitched in with their hosts to rearrange the furniture so that they could create one big circle of armchairs and couches that was far from the usual seat orientation. Apparently, they came to confirm the story spreading around about Tamaki and Sakura. The hearsay on Sakura's visit to the Host Club also helped convince the girls that they had to come that day despite the absence of any _cosplay_.

There was only three minutes left in Kyouya's countdown.

"Ne, Tamaki-kun, is Sakura-senpai your girl friend?" one very confident first year inquired, straightforward in speaking the thoughts of all girls (except for Haruhi) present.

She had a minute left before Kyouya let the cat out of the bag. If she was still planning on coming, then she better hurry it up.

"Of course not, Nanami-chan." Tamaki answered smoothly. Technically, Sakura wasn't his girl friend; she was his fiancée. A little half-truth wouldn't hurt.

The rest of the Host Club observed the exchange in silence. A certain two were slightly disappointed that the fun they expected wasn't all it was cracked up to be and yawned in utter boredom. Their fellow first year was too busy wondering how long this would take and worried over homework. The adorable senior was asking anyone within close proximity if they wanted cake while the other two merely looked on the proceedings without a word.

"Then why was she riding with you this morning?" a snobbish girl with big curls questioned, dubious.

"That, my fair princesses, is quite a long story." Tamaki replied with his princely smile on, trying to build up some suspense.

"Tell it to us, Tamaki-sama!" a bunch of girls chorused, gaining supportive nods from the rest.

"Actually," Kyouya interjected, making everyone's eyes focus on him.

But before he could say anymore, the double doors suddenly burst open and in came Hanako Sakura holding a present in her hands. It must have been the rumored cake. The girls turned their hostile gazes towards the new comer. To them, her appearance in the Host Club proved that there was something going on between her and their prince. They couldn't possibly forgive her for stealing him away from them.

"Tamaki-kun!" she called out, unfazed by the death glares she was receiving.

The twins' ears perked up at the unexpected development. Even Hunny, who was busy stuffing his face with sweets, looked up from his plate to watch what was about to happen. Mori was being Mori while Kyouya merely watched with carefully masked caution. Only Haruhi seemed bored with the interesting turn of events. Tamaki wasn't too sure if this was a good or a bad thing. He settled with thinking that Sakura knew what she was doing – something Kyouya only wished he could believe.

"What a pleasant surprise, Sakura-chan. Welcome to the Host Club! What brings you here on this fine Thursday afternoon?" Tamaki would be Tamaki, she supposed. Even if he knew (or did he?) that being especially warm to Sakura would not be good for his club, he still persisted on being a gentlemanly prince.

"I have a gift for you!" she exclaimed ignoring the glares that had intensified as she held the parcel out to him.

"What is this for, Sakura-chan?" Tamaki questioned curiously but taking it from her anyway.

"It's a thank you gift for saving me this morning." She answered him with a sweet smile that angered the girls. She did sound honest, though.

"Hanako-san, how did Tamaki-sama save you?" A blonde girl from her class inquired, impatience and jealousy coloring her tone.

"Well, actually, this morning my car broke down on the way to school." Sakura explained although Kyouya noticed she put the theatrics to a bare minimum. "Coincidentally, Tamaki-kun passed by and he graciously offered to give me a lift." She continued; her tone thankful rather than fan-girly.

"I don't believe that you couldn't have called for another one of your family's cars to pick you up. How do you explain that?" one of her upperclassmen challenged, trying to find something – anything – to prove that Sakura was lying.

Unfortunately, Sakura was one step ahead of the said girl. With no obvious hesitations whatsoever she replied, "I certainly would have done that if it were possible at the time. You see, my house isn't as close to Ouran as yours is, Michiru-senpai. I had a committee meeting this morning so I really couldn't afford to be late."

It seemed as if they were beginning to believe her now. She caught Kyouya's eyes but was surprised to see disbelief in them. He really didn't give her enough credit. Well, it didn't matter because once all this was settled; she'd be the one having the last laugh.

"You said your car broke down?" one of the girls asked as if to confirm something about her story.

"Unfortunately, yes, Yuzuki-chan." Sakura answered with a frown. She made an excellent actress; if she had been a guy, she would have been a brilliant host.

The girl referred to a Yuzuki merely nodded her head once before she left the room without so much as an _'excuse me'_. Sakura patiently waited to be berated with more questions that challenged her tale. No one seemed to be brave enough however as all of them figured that the story was better than her having a secret romance with Tamaki. They also assumed that Hanako Sakura wouldn't lie. She was known as a model student so she wouldn't make up stories. Or so they thought.

When Sakura was sure that they wouldn't ask any more from her, she politely excused herself and made to leave.

"Adieu, Sakura-chan." Tamaki bid, taking care not to be out of character and yet not be overly intimate with her. He bowed gracefully before her but made no contact.

"I hope you enjoy my small token of gratitude, Tamaki-kun. Thanks again." Sakura replied with a soft smile.

After the good-byes were said, she immediately left the room. The girls seemed happy. Kyouya had to admit that she handled them all well. Of course, he would never say that to her face.

**-X-**

The Host Club continued with business as usual after the hullabaloo about Hanako Sakura had successfully been ironed out. The girls were content and overjoyed with knowing that their prince was still single and that one of the finest girls in school hasn't stolen his heart yet. By the end of club hours, Tamaki was relieved but at the same time glad that he was able to put smiles on the girls' faces.

"Tama-chan, can we eat Hana-chan's handmade cake?" the short blonde asked excitedly as he stared hungrily at the neatly wrapped parcel.

Tamaki, unwilling to upset his senior, grabbed the box and began untying to red ribbon.

"Shouldn't you read the card first, Tamaki-senpai?" Haruhi suggested as if common sense dictated it. Well, it did, actually.

"My daughter is right!" Tamaki screamed as he retrieved the card and began to read it aloud:

_Dear Suou Tamaki,_

_If you remember to read this card before eating the cake, please ask Ootori Kyouya to open the box. If not, then know that the message on the cake is for him._

_Signed:  
Hanako Sakura_

Everyone turned their attentions to the Kyouya, who merely stared curiously at the innocent white box. He wondered again what Sakura was thinking. Urged by the stare of his fellow hosts, he approached Tamaki and did the honor of pulling the cover open.

Two synchronized laughter echoed in the room as they all looked over Kyouya's shoulders to read Sakura's message for him. Hunny and Tamaki soon followed suite and even Mori cracked a small smile. Haruhi didn't really understand what was going on and what the message was supposed to mean but seeing Kyouya's bewildered expression was enough to put the grin on her face.

In her elegant script and made of pure blue icing, Sakura wrote:

_I told you so. . . ._

**-X-**

_Everything was going so smoothly for Sakura and she was too busy being happy about it to realize that all good things must come to an end. The question: How soon will "The End" come for Princess Sakura?_**  
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	7. Preview

**A/N:**_ Here's a little something to get readers thinking. This is _NOT _- I repeat, _**NOT **_- a real chapter. This is merely a part of Chapter 7 that I'd like to share with you all while I finish writing the whole chapter. It will be a long one so I'm finding it hard to finish. And it's also the beginning of a more fast-paced development for my characters so I want it to be perfect. Please be patient! And tell me what you think of this. . . .little teaser I wrote._

**DISCLAIMER: **_There are no canon characters involved in this preview so I own EVERYTHING! :D_

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_**_My Prince and I_  
Preview**

_"Sakura!"_

_I looked around the darkness, desperately searching for the owner of the voice that called out my name. But I couldn't see anything. It was too dark and everything was too black for me to distinguish any figures. The feeling of dread overwhelmed me and tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I was so scared._

_"Sakura!"_

_"Onii-chan!" I screamed, running aimlessly in the sea of nothingness._

_I recognized that voice anywhere. I knew I couldn't be wrong and even if my knees shook violently because of fear, I ran to find him. Even if I knew it was impossible. Impossible because. . . ._

**BANG!**

_A gunshot._

**THUD.**

_His body fell limp and lifeless onto the stone-cold floor._

**FLASH.**

_A spotlight illuminated the place where he laid almost a cold corpse. My whole body vibrated with an devastating loneliness that I could run no more. I knelt beside him, holding him close. I ignored the wet feeling of blood against my chest and cried. I wanted to shout out but my screams were muffled by that irritating siren._

_"Please don't leave me, onii-chan!" I begged pathetically._

_"Sakura, remember your promise." he said in a voice so gentle and so feeble like he only had so little time left. I shuddered at the thought._

_"Onii-chan. . . ."_

_I held onto him tighter, refusing to let go. It was a wasted effort. He himself had given up. He eased my hands away and smiled tenderly. He mouthed the words _'I love you'_ as I heard the ambulance getting closer and closer to us._

_"No, please, don't go!" I yelled even if my voice was inaudible beneath the noise of the sirens._

_And I just knew everything was too late._

THUD.

_My eyes opened wide. I was lying on the floor with one leg still on my messy bed. I felt thoroughly disoriented. The sound of the siren still rang resolutely in my ears, making my head pound. Then I realized that I'd been crying. Again._

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_**SECOND A/N: **_I wanna know what you guys think of this. What it makes you think? And what your predictions are for the upcoming chapters? _:) **Please leave your reviews. **_I'll try to post the complete chapter 7 as soon as it's possible for me. :D_


	8. Act 7: Promises

**A/N: **_I finally finished the chapter! XD Yey for me! LoL. Anyway, this didn't turn out as long as I thought because I decided to cut it off earlier than I planned. So, this is a normal length chapter but it has a lot of development. As you can see, I'm making the story more fast-paced than the previous chapters. I hope you find this chapter all right. Read and review so that I'll update quicker next time! :D Chapter 8 will have the twins in it! :))  
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**DISCLAIMER:**_Well, Tamaki doesn't even _belong_ to my OC so I have no right to him. XD Sakura, her family, her servants, and the plot are mine though._

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**My Prince and I  
**Act 7 – Promises

**(Sakura's POV)**

"Don't worry, Sakura-hime! I shall escort you home safely!" Tamaki exclaimed ecstatically.

In the presence of his father, I had forced a smile on my face and eagerly accepted his invitation. Apparently, the rumors of my ride breaking down had reached even the superintendent's ears. And for the sake of our act, I was condemned to going home with Tamaki. Luckily, it was late – barely anyone but faculty and staff of the school remained. Therefore, there was no breach of my _contract_ with Ootori Kyouya. However, I wasn't feeling very comfortable alone with my temporary fiancé.

"_Be careful, Sakura-chan. You might actually fall for him. I don't want you to be the one getting hurt in the end."_

'_Thank you so much, Mikoto-chan, for _that. . . ._"_ I thought rather sarcastically, trying my hardest to keep my eyes from rolling.

The one time we actually had a heart-to-heart talk, she just _had_ to say something so absurd. Of course I wouldn't fall for Suou Tamaki! He's _nothing_ like my type.

"Tell me now, and we shall vanquish the horrible creature that put that frown on your face, Sakura-hime!" Tamaki suddenly erupted; I figured he might not have exhausted his princely pick-up lines for today. Where did he learn to say all those things, anyway? Was he an immortal trapped in the very fabric of time and who had lived many decades ago? He was the only person I knew who spoke like he was from a different century.

He failed miserably in my criteria for the ideal man. At the same time, it made him perfect for the role of the man I was never planning to marry. I was so sure I wouldn't fall in love with him. It made cancelling the engagement a hell of a lot easier than if I picked the most suitable candidate.

I had to bite my tongue to stop the rude retort from escaping my lips. So far, he had done marvelously with our act and I was utterly thankful. Both of our parents thought we were getting along greatly and the arrangement was good while the Ouran student body believed there wasn't anything going on between us. I'd admit that keeping up two different pretenses was very difficult and quite draining. I'm glad Tamaki was able to keep up with me.

So, instead of bursting his bubble, I simply laughed. I was put deeper into hysterics when he looked at me with a bewildered expression. Eventually, he joined in the fun without even knowing what exactly we were laughing about.

I decided on something at that moment. I reckoned that even if this engagement was destined to failure, I was going to be friends with him. There were no merits in continuously warring with my ally. I realized that being cold to him would only jeopardize my plans. And besides, Tamaki was a good guy – far off the mark of my ideal man but a could-be best friend.

**-X-**

Minutes passed by in silence as Tamaki struggled to find a new topic for us to discuss. Beneath all his false declarations and praises (though I do believe that Tamaki's flattery was genuine if only from his point of view), my soon-to-be ex-fiancé was surprisingly very. . . .deep. I never really understood before why a highly intellectual person such as Ootori Kyouya managed to put up with Tamaki's crazy antics and actually became his best friend. I had thought that the merits were good enough for Kyouya to ignore all his imperfections. But maybe it had something to do with his undeniably pure heart. The guy was so. . . .innocent. And even though his innocence often bordered on idiocy, I couldn't help but admire him.

And just like that, the blush unconsciously rushed to paint my cheeks. I only had Mikoto to blame. Why, oh why, did she have to go and tell me that I might fall for this idiot? That was impossible.

'_He's no _Yuuya-kun_. . . .'_ I thought, trying to convince myself that I shouldn't be flustered like this as I could only hope he hadn't noticed the short slip in my composure.

But when I turned hesitantly to his side of the limousine (I was being friendly but I didn't see the reason why I had to sit so close to him so I kept my distance), he was in deep thought. He was probably still trying to find a matter we could discuss that wouldn't turn me into the snobbish b'tch I was to him this morning.

"How was the cake?" I asked to save him the trouble.

I also needed something that would distract me from his perfectly chiseled face. _Snap out of it, Sakura._ I scolded myself. _It's rude to stare._ I added, forcing myself not to look at him as a _man_. He was only my accomplice. I had to remember that we wouldn't ever be a real couple.

But because of what I just said, Tamaki had turned on his charm again. And I found that it was easier to think he was just a _boy _when he acted that way. Now my thoughts were sane.

"Anything made by your lovely hands taste simply exquisite, Sakura-hime!" Tamaki exclaimed as he was suddenly sitting right beside me with my hands caged in his.

Carefully, I retrieved my hands from his hold and coughed slightly to show my discomfort. When he didn't move an inch away from me, I sighed but let him be. I have never really minded being in such close proximities with the opposite sex. Suou Tamaki should not – and was not supposed to – be any different.

"Is that what the Host Club really thinks? Or are you just saying what I want to hear?" I challenged in an attempt to sound like myself despite my inner turmoil.

"A true gentleman never lies to a lady, Sakura-hime." Tamaki responded quickly and without hesitation.

'_Impressive,'_ I thought.

"Are you talking about the whole Host Club, including Ootori Kyouya-kun? Or perhaps _only_ Haninozuka Mitsukuni-senpai?" I retorted; I didn't know why but debating with him like this was fun.

"Ah, I've been meaning to ask you something, Sakura-hime." Tamaki seemed to have remembered a small detail he wanted to hear an explanation to.

'_Yes, I'll marry you, Tamaki-kun_,' I thought slightly delusional. Of course I knew he would never propose – not to me, anyway. This was nothing but an act we put together. I should know better.

"Go ahead, Tamaki-kun." I had said in response as if my mental insanity never occurred.

"What did you mean by, _'I told you so'_?" he questioned, evidently curious.

Oh. I laughed at myself internally. He wanted to talk about _that_.

"Well, you are aware of the deal I made with Kyouya-kun, right?" I began, seeking his affirmation first before continuing, "But he doesn't think I could have handled your fan girls. On the contrary, everything went according to my plan!"

"Daddy thinks Sakura-hime is so much like Mommy!" Tamaki commented exuberantly.

"I'm not sure about Kyouya and me but I'm quite certain that if there were any doubts about my story after today, they would be gone by tomorrow." I stated confidently.

Tamaki just looked at me with a questioning face. I took his quizzical expression as my cue to explain further.

"You know Yuzuki-chan? Her family owns one of the largest car companies in Asia. Her older brother runs a car repair shop and my family is just one of their many patrons. So, I had Nana-san fabricate the evidence for me so that Yuzuki-chan will tell everyone tomorrow that my car really broke down." I declared, proud of my foolproof plan.

"Why?" Tamaki suddenly inquired.

"Why?" I repeated, confused.

"Why are you so intent on pretending to like our engagement?"

"I always keep my promises, Tamaki-kun." I answered him with a thoughtful smile. "By the time I'm eighteen, you'll be free of me."

And then the car came to a stop. I realized that we've reached my house at last.

"Well then, Tamaki-kun, thank you very much for the ride." I told him, truly grateful.

"Don't mention it, Sakura-hime." He replied with a smile that almost made me regret getting out of his car.

"We shouldn't do this everyday, though. My excuse is only valid for a one-time thing." I stated logically. "I won't even be in school tomorrow, anyway." I added as an afterthought, remembering the agenda for my three-day weekend.

"How come?"

"It's a family thing, actually." I answered calmly though my eyes were already beginning to tear up.

"Sakura-hime, is there anything wrong?" I found his concern sweet but it was nothing I would like to talk about, especially not with him.

"It's nothing, Tamaki-kun. See you on Monday." I bid as I walked away from his open window in a rush.

I was such a coward.

**-X-**

_"Sakura!"_

_I looked around the darkness, desperately searching for the owner of the voice that called out my name. But I couldn't see anything. It was too dark and everything was too black for me to distinguish any figures. The feeling of dread overwhelmed me and tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I was so scared._

_"Sakura!"_

_"Onii-chan!" I screamed, running aimlessly in the sea of nothingness._

_I recognized that voice anywhere. I knew I couldn't be wrong and even if my knees shook violently because of fear, I ran to find him. Even if I knew it was impossible. Impossible because. . . ._

**BANG!**

_A gunshot._

**THUD.**

_His body fell limp and lifeless onto the stone-cold floor._

**FLASH.**

_A spotlight illuminated the place where he now laid a cold corpse. My whole body vibrated with an devastating loneliness that I could run no more. I knelt beside him, holding him close. I ignored the wet feeling of blood against my chest and cried. I wanted to shout out but my screams were muffled by that irritating siren._

_"Please don't leave me, onii-chan!" I begged pathetically._

_"Sakura, remember your promise." he said in a voice so gentle and so feeble like he only had so little time left. I shuddered at the thought._

_"Onii-chan. . . ."_

_I held onto him tighter, refusing to let go. It was a wasted effort. He himself had given up. He eased my hands away and smiled tenderly. He mouthed the words _'I love you'_ as I heard the ambulance getting closer and closer to us._

_"No, please, don't go!" I yelled even if my voice was inaudible beneath the noise of the sirens._

_And everything was just too late._

**THUD.**

My eyes opened wide. I was lying on the floor with one leg still on my messy bed. I felt thoroughly disoriented. The sound of the siren still rang resolutely in my ears, making my head pound. Then I realized that I'd been crying. Again.

I sat up with my left hand supporting my weight while my right combed through my hair. I dreamt about him again. I wasn't so surprised though, since today marked the tenth year of his death. And even after a decade, I still missed him.

**-X-**

"Sakura-hime! What are you doing up so early?" the dark-haired woman questioned as I barged into the maids' quarters unannounced.

"Onii-chan woke me," I answered softly, forcing a smile.

And just like that, Nana was up and about, preparing me breakfast after giving me a glass of warm milk.

"I'm sorry Nana-san." I muttered quietly as I tailed behind her to see if I could help.

Not that she would ever let me do that. Nana was exceptionally efficient. It took only a short while for her to prepare me a hearty breakfast actually fit for two.

"Eat up, Sakura-hime." Nana told me as she placed the plate of pancakes topped with maple syrup and whipped cream in front of me.

"Thank you, Nana-san. I'm really sorry for waking you up so early." I had checked the time on the huge grandfather clock in the den, it was barely five AM.

"Sakura-hime, it wasn't your fault." Nana suddenly said, knowing immediately what the hell was bothering me.

I shook my head. Of course it was _my_ fault. It couldn't have been anyone else's. I've already accepted that fact.

"Kiyo-kun loved you very much. He wouldn't want you to be so hard on yourself, Sakura-hime." Nana told me.

It was something I knew already.

"Sakura-hime, smile for him. You're only making Kiyo-kun feel worse if the life he saved wasn't happy." Nana stated, her tone motherly.

It was an involuntary action but I did smile. Nana always knew what to say. She was like my second mom in more ways than one.

"I won't be going to school today." I said though I knew she was aware of that fact.

I always skipped a day or two of school for my brother's deathday and birthday consecutively. It was so ironic that Hanako Kiyoshi died a day before his eighteenth birthday. It was also something I felt horribly guilty about. I mean if I wasn't such a spoiled brat (and a very disobedient one at that), he would probably still be alive and perhaps happily married to his girl friend at the time. But it was too late for regrets and to keep my conscience silent, I always had to remember to keep my promise.

**-X-**

"My, you're up bright and early, Sakura." My mother commented as she entered the dining hall with such grace and elegance you'd think she was going into a party instead of just getting breakfast. The poise must be a force of habit to her by now.

I nodded my head in acknowledgement. They didn't have to know I've been up for almost two hours now.

Hanako Yuuri noticed the melancholy on my expression before I could skillfully mask it. But she didn't get to ask why when she realized what day it was _today_. She knew how sensitive I was to the death of Kiyo. Yuuri mourned the loss but not as much as I regretted it.

My father – Hanako Hatori – was more aware of the passing of days than my mother. He knew the value of this day and consequently cancelled every one of his appointments he had this afternoon.

Today was the day my family would become whole again. . . .at least, in spirit.

**-X-**

_This was only the beginning of Hanako Sakura's long weekend. There are more wacky adventures awaiting the heroine. The question: would she be able to handle _them_ in her current state of emotional turmoil?_


	9. Act 8: Yuuya

**A/N: **_Here I go with an update! :) I just finished this today and I took 2 hours off studying for my exams tomorrow just to do that! Don't I get a prize for that? LOL. Reviews from you guys would be enough. xD Anyway, I still haven't gotten to the good part yet but these chapters are necessary. I will update _**Wanna Bet?**_ soon. I hope. I'm trying to get the chapter right. The one I'm making is very significant to the flow of the story in my mind. :D So please be patient. And as for _**Alphabetically Insane**, _Chapter "D" is in progress. Halfway through, I think. It got too long again but you guys don't mind right? :) Okay, I guess I've babbled enough. On with the story!_

**DISCLAIMER: **_I do not own Ouran even though I REALLY wished I did. :D But don't we all? LOL. All I do own is the brain that came up with all this, the fingers that typed it up on MS Word, the OCs in action and the plot in motion! :D _

* * *

**My Prince and I  
**Act 8 – Yuuya-kun

**(Sakura's POV)**

My father was called away to an emergency meeting. He said he would catch up with us and I believed him. If it wasn't so important I knew my father wouldn't have chosen it over our family. So now, it was only Hanako Yuri and me in the spacious car.

"Sakura, look!" my mother declared as if she had never seen water fall from the sky before.

"It's raining."I stated, watching as the droplets stained the car windows.

"Yes. It's as if the heavens are mourning with us. . . ." Yuri said in a soft whisper.

I turned to look at my mother from the other end of the car. Her gaze was distant; it was like she didn't really see the pouring rain. She never showed this side of her to my father before; maybe because she knew he'd worry. Hanako Hatori was sort of the suffer-in-silence type of person and Yuri didn't like being a burden to him. She tries hard to put up a strong front and it was rare to see her vulnerable like this but I bet she was remembering my brother. It must be hard to lose a son.

But he should have still been here. It was my fault that he's gone. If I hadn't. . . . .I didn't even want to recall what I've done. Despite what everyone said I still felt responsible for it. No one regrets his death more than I have.

"Sakura?" nothing but pure concern coated my mother's tone at that moment.

I quickly turned away though I was certain that she noticed my tears already. After I promised myself I wouldn't cry anymore – why did I have to be so emotional?

"No one blames you, honey." Yuri told me for even without asking, she knew what was going on in my mind; she knew me all too well.

"He shouldn't have died! If only I – "

"Hanako Sakura! Stop this nonsense, please!" Yuri interrupted quickly before I could go on being hard with myself.

I shut up immediately. I know I shouldn't push my mother's buttons too far. She could be quite scary when she was angry. But that didn't stop me from finishing my _if-only's _in my head.

"It was his time to go, that's why he left us. I'm just glad I didn't lose the both of you that day." Yuri added, not giving me any chance at all to speak.

"I should have gone! I should have died instead of onii-chan. . . ." I muttered, despite what my mother said earlier.

"Don't ever-ever say that, Sakura! Do you think he would have wanted you to be like this? Please don't ever scare me like that again." Yuri exclaimed, swiftly trapping me in a tight embrace as though I'd disappear if she didn't hold on tightly enough.

I had to pull myself together for the sake of my mother's sanity and for my own sake as well. My mother and I had a silent agreement to simply drop the issue and we resorted to a bit of small talk.

My studies weren't really an interesting topic for my mother since she couldn't find anything to tease me with so we barely touched on the subject. Yuri was always amused with Mikoto's antics (my best friend's hacking skills just amazed my mother so) but I knew she was only waiting for an opening to ask about my dear fiancé.

"So tell me, Sakura, are you getting along well with Tamaki-kun?" finally she was able to open up the topic she really wanted to discuss.

"Of course, mother. Why wouldn't I be? He's such a gentleman – I can't bear to complain." I answered and on my defense I wasn't really lying.

Although, I could've toned down on the sweetness in my voice – my mother saw through that so easily. And she laughed at me while raising one perfectly arched brow. Her look plainly said, _"Tell the truth or else."_

"Well, I find him quite nice and slightly amusing." I stated with a thoughtful smile to show her I was really seriously considering Tamaki. "And he's easy enough to get along with."

Yuri sighed and said, "I doubt you'll ever be satisfied with anyone. Don't you like the boy? He's such a prince."

"I don't dislike him but he's really not my type." I finally admitted.

There. I said it. Suou Tamaki - while exceedingly handsome and quite a good person at heart - did not fit my criteria for my _ideal man_. Black hair, dark slate eyes, a cool composure with an air of mystery – that was my dream guy; that was _Yuuya-kun_. Whereas Tamaki was a blonde with bright eyes; he was loud and prince-like but fairly easy to read, an open book so to speak – he was the complete opposite of _Yuuya-kun_. Now you may be wondering. . . .

'_Who the hell is _Yuuya-kun_?'_

He was not my imaginary friend but he was the knight in shining armor of my childhood.

**~FLASHBACK~**

_I was only five-years-old at the time. I ran off because a scary white monster had replaced my beloved grandmother. It sounded just like grandma but it looked like a mummy. Perhaps it ate my grandma? All the more reason to run away with my eyes tightly shut and without ever turning back._

_It was only after I felt I could no longer run that I decided it was safe to stop. Then I remembered I'd left my whole family with the terrible creature. Tears began spilling from my eyes. I was such a coward and now I couldn't even go back and help because I was lost._

"_Hey, why are you crying? You're not hurt, are you?" a young boy, who was probably about the same age as me, questioned as he approached my shaking figure._

_I looked up at him but found that I was too depressed to give a verbal answer so I simply shook my head._

"_I should call an _onee-chan_ to help you," the boy stated, easily keeping his composure despite the situation._

_I shook my head. I didn't need an _onee-chan. _I needed my mommy. Apparently, I had said that thought aloud. But he understood what I wanted and didn't leave my side._

"_Then we'll go look for your mommy." He had said reassuringly and I found myself smiling softly despite that I still cried._

_He held out his handkerchief to wipe my tears away – a gesture that somehow helped calm my nerves. He waited until my weeping was reduced to mere sobs before he grabbed my hand and lead the way._

_I stared at his tousled black hair and realized that perhaps I woke him up with all my wailing. I was so sorry I was about to cry again. He must have felt the intensity of my gaze and averted his deep gray eyes to me. There was never a hint of fear in the depths of his eyes and with that confidence, how could I not admire him? I felt safe._

"_Is there anything wrong?" he questioned with one brow raised; he looked like such a prince._

"_Hanky-kun, do you know where we're going?" I asked back, unable to hold in my anxiety._

"_No. But we'll find our way." He stated honestly with an unwavering smile on his face._

_And despite that I didn't like feeling lost, I didn't mind it if I was with him. I didn't understand at the time what this feeling I had was called, but it was warm and it made me smile._

"_Hanky-kun," I called again; we've been walking for a while now but haven't seen any _onee-chans _around._

_He corrected me and told me his name. He repeated it twice but gave up trying to get me to say it right. I was only five after all. Anyway, he didn't mind the 'nickname' I had given him._

"_There you are, you little rascal!" an old lady screamed, sounding pleased._

_But _Yuuya-kun_ didn't seem to feel the same. He held tighter onto my hand, turned to look at me and whispered, "Run!"_

"_What are we running from, Yuuya-kun?" I asked, curious._

"_That scary _onee-chan_." He answered simply._

_Oh. But why, I had wondered._

"_What will happen if we get caught?" I inquired again, though not quite understanding the game we were playing I'd have to admit I was having a lot of fun._

"_The _onee-chan _will take me away and we won't be able to find your mommy."_ Yuuya-kun _stated and I knew immediately that I didn't want that to happen._

_So we spent a full hour trying to escape the very persistent _onee-chan_. We ended up in a vacant room, where we hid under the bed. Surely, she wouldn't be able to find us here. _Yuuya-kun _was safe now and I was glad they hadn't taken him away. He was my precious friend and I wouldn't like it very much if I was lost and he wasn't with me. It seemed to me that everything would go swell if he was around._

"_Sakura! Where are you?" we heard a woman yelling through the corridor._

_Since _Yuuya-kun_ wasn't able to close the door properly in our haste to hide, the noises from the hallway reached us. The rooms were usually soundproof, though, especially in this particular floor, where VIPs were generally assigned to. My grandmother for instance was one and perhaps _Yuuya-kun _was too if his parents were some kind of successful business tycoons. Either way, it was a blessing in disguise for the door to have been left ajar. If it was closed, I didn't think I would've heard my mother's voice calling for me._

"_Sakura!" the woman repeated; her voice sounded farther away._

_I panicked and bumped my head under the bed. I winced and fresh tears were forming in my eyes. That was my mommy! We've found her._

"_Mommy!" I had screamed as I crawled out from our hiding place and ran outside._

"_AHA! There you are! Where is he?" the _onee-chan _had caught me instead and demanded my friend from me._

_I was still crying and just shook my head to answer her query. She didn't like my response and began to threaten me. I was so scared._

"_Leave her alone!" _Yuuya-kun _had ordered; he quickly sprinted from the room to my rescue._

"_You have to come with me, young man." She retorted, forgetting about me and turning her full attention to the little boy._

"_No! I need to help her find her mommy!" he countered, squirming under her hold._

"_Don't hurt, _Yuuya-kun_!" I exclaimed, chest puffed in my attempt to look tough._

"_Sakura!" relief was evident in my mother's tone as she turned around and finally saw me._

_I turned to her with a big smile. Thanks to _Yuuya-kun_ I had met up with my mother again. Yuri hurried towards me and captured me in a tight embrace. She was reprimanding me with a shaking voice. I frowned visibly. I had made her worry._

"_Sorry." I mumbled in a soft whisper._

"_It doesn't matter now that I've found you." Yuri said, carrying me into her arms._

"Yuuya-kun, _thank you!" I mumbled truly grateful._

_He just gave me a toothy grin as he too was picked up by the _onee-chan._ He would come with her quietly now that I was back together with my mother. I was the only reason he ran away._

_I waved good-bye, feeling sad that we probably wouldn't meet again. He returned the gesture and from there, we parted._

**~END FLASHBACK~**

I never saw him again after that. All that was left to remind me of his existence were my vivid memories of our short time together and the handkerchief he lent to me. I kept it after all these years as a memento of my childhood friend. It was when I grew more mature that I realized I had fallen for him.

"Sakura?" Yuri's voice finally broke through my impervious reverie.

"I'm sorry. What was that, mother?" I had questioned; I didn't really catch anything she'd been saying in the last few minutes.

"Daydreaming about your childhood sweetheart again, I see." Yuri teased, looking quite amused.

"What are you talking about, mother? I do no such thing." I retorted, calm and unfazed by Yuri's accusatory tone.

"Oh really, Sakura. You cannot lie to me You're still in love with that boy! I can ee it in your eyes." Yuri persisted; as I thought, she knew me better than anyone.

"I was only five at the time, mother – not really the proper age to be falling in love, don't you think? I hardly knew the meaning of the word, then." I answered confidently; I was still a step ahead of my mother in this rather interesting debate.

"You should have told me and your father. It would have been easy to locate your _Yuuya-kun_ for you." Yuri declared and as I thought, she still worried about getting me my happily-ever-after.

She had to realize sooner or later that I may be her princess but even if that was the case, my life wasn't a fairytale. Reality rarely, if ever at all, ends with happily-ever-afters.

"So you're saying you aren't satisfied with Suou Tamaki-kun?" I inquired though I knew and expected her to deny this.

"Of course not!" See what I mean? Yuri knew me well and vice versa. "I only want what's best for you. If _Yuuya-kun_ could make you happy, I wouldn't have minded making him your groom."

I was touched. I had figured Tamaki was my father's choice but I also knew he only envisioned my welfare when he made that decision. These thoughts were making me feel guilty about what I was going to do in the near future. I had to stay strong though, for I have made my choice clear to myself. There was no turning back now.

"That's quite impossible, mother." I muttered with my voice low.

Yuri raised one slender brow, questioning my statement. A melancholy smile made its way to my lips.

"_Yuuya-kun_ is dead."

**-X-**

_Hanako Sakura revealed more of the mysterious _Yuuya-kun_ in this chapter. Indeed, her first love had already died and perhaps that was why she kept up all those facades. She didn't want to be hurt by trusting others. Can Suou Tamaki be the guy to change that? Or will it be Ootori Kyouya, who kind of resembled the childhood friend Sakura had fallen for? Sakura was up for more emotional roller coaster rides when she had been thrown in the Host Club's path._


End file.
